Shadowrun Returns

[Clockwork]

Hey guys.

This is a game started on the back of a kickstarter project, it's nearly done (to be released in june) and it looks absolutely awesome for fans of the Shadowrun series or of any sort of RPG I would imagine. This game might not have graphics (or budget) like any AAA title but the depth and the story behind it should be spectacular. Google it to find out more, just thought some of you might be interested.

Rob

Edit:typo.

[Clockwork]

Okay can see this hasn't generated much interest so far but this might help... If anyone is more interested in storytelling and modding than Shadowrunning there is a 'powerful but ugly' editor that lets you create scenarios and campaigns for your (or everyones if you upload it) Shadowrunners. I plan on making a scenario based on a ton of cliches and generally taking the piss out of all fantasy, but in a loving way. If anyone fancies helping me out with this it'd be great. I have a clear idea of what I'm going to do with it and how it's going to play out with a possibility of multiple endings depending on the amount of time spent before the big ass assault but I've never made any maps of any kind or tried to ask Mr AI to do special things at special times. Still, I hope I can make this work.

[Jubal]

I'm slow on replying to things atm, exams coming up, sorry!

Link for anyone who wants one:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1613260297/shadowrun-returns

I've played one Shadowrun campaign in which we all died, I had a Dwarf PI as my character (who insisted on carrying a battleaxe. He's a dwarf, dwarves have axes. What do you mean this is the future? )

But yeah, certainly I'd be happy to give advice/ideas on modding, some help depending on how all my other projects are ticking along, and Exilian will certainly give you forum hosting should you want it. 

[Clockwork]

Awesome stuff!

I've never played the game or even know any of the rules in truth. I've just read couple of the books and love the dystopia plus magic plus.....Elf mage-samurai and Troll tech expert xD

So psyched for it it's unreal lol, rivals my anticipation for Total War: Rome II.

Thanks for the link, I'm terrible about doing that

[Jubal]

We had a magical were-seal in the party. No joke.

[Clockwork]

:O.....So awesome! I really hope they make that playable in the game

[Clockwork]

Ok so here is my basic premise for the level I want to make. Criticism desperately wanted as well as suggestions notice any plotholes, lore inconsistencies or something. This will be my first project and I really want it to be good

I'm hoping I can work this into the main game somehow as I'd like a reward system from completing this storyline. This is just copied from my notes really SR is shadowrunner GC are the people you're going after EC are the guys that hired you. Yes it's a little(lot) cliche'd. All names under review, script isn't written as of yet, but that's underway.

EmployerCorp.(EC) hires SRs to gain entry to GlobalCorp.(GC)

Legendary hacker, Arnie Finke(AF)(under review), messages SRs telling them that he's also been hired as additional support. (SRs can begin questioning motives here but will remain clueless to real motivation).

First part of the quest involves gathering data and getting a program inside the security feed (optional). Requires going to 4 terminals. Data on GC at each terminal providing background on GC and foreshadowing of AF motive(AF won't be mentioned directly). One terminal access will have a maintenance team working: possibility to get disguise and ID from them. Killing(or erasing memory if incorporated into game) afterwards results in best stealth approach. They will inforom GC if let live, despite protesting otherwise.
While getting to each of the terminals AF refuses to go in citing that he 'can't be seen working again, as he has a history with this GC(needs work)'. Further probing by SRs will indicate that perhaps he knows more than he's telling.

Team enters GC building first floor. If enough data was mined from terminals, possibility of entering via entry point not marked on any blueprint. Leads to stealth/persuasion gameplay. If ID and disguise gathered, can enter from main enterance for stealth/persuasion gameplay. Otherwise, blam blam blam guards die horribly. If maintenance team was left alive(even if intimidated/persuaded) GC knows you're coming and organizes a much better defence.(Same if you skipped the optional bit). Shooting through 1st level should be difficult.

Once you've stealthed or blam'd your way up to 2nd level it's unusually quiet until you get to room containing GC secrets that EC wants. If blam option then you get locked in and require a techie to get you out. If team techie fails, AF succeeds in getting you out remotely(basically this will imply that you now owe him, gives greater meaning to future interaction with him.) If persuade/stealth, alarm goes anyway although this time AF will have set you up(unkown by SR team, only pieced together later on). Guards appear waiting to kill you but due to level design of 2nd level, killing them will be easier than on level 1. Basically the stealth approach is doomed to fail anyway. I like failure in games, hate the mass effect style, no matter what you do you'll always win. I digress.

Secrets stolen. New objective appears: Kill Head Honcho(HH) of GC. SR team WTFs at the change in mission paramaters (option to question AF, at which point he basically says hurry up otherwise you're gonna die). Objective: Make your way to top level for showdown with HH. AF will supply access to lift(elevator) through his tech skills/posessing machines(undecided).

3rd level- find a random guy waiting to speak to HH about some trivial thing. (will flesh this out when I go to write the script, obviously) . RG decides to follow you, either make sure he doesn't die....or don't. At HH office, RG bursts in to make his plight, HH shows distate at this by shooting him and leaving him to bleed out. SRs converse with HH or can decide to shoot him then and there. Talking with him reveals that he has no idea why EC wants him dead personally, makes rational arguments as to why it would be pointless killing him in the long run (he'd just be replaced the next day by someone more or less a clone of him) RG who is still bleeding out arms a hand grenade and blows up himself, HH and the SR nearest HH takes some damage. If he didn't survive getting to HH, or you killed him for being annoying, then you can question HH at leisure and decide not to kill him, going against apparent mission paramaters. (Full reward when you WTF at EC for being weird with missions as they didn't request for you to kill him, see later)

SR team is confused at this development and leaves(if you shot him, then just leaves. I doubt there will be confusion at your own decision, unless you misclicked or I coded wrong)

Option to try to save RG who has shrapnel pretty much everywhere you can think of, what you're really doing is keeping him alive long enough to WTF at him. If you do, info on AF saying that AF and RG were partners that HH kicked out and abducted families of to keep them quiet then RG dies.

EC WTFs at you killing HH, they diliberatly wanted him alive (EC were going to blackmail him and get him to leak money to them before using him to be the fall guy for thier exploits). If you ask about AF, they don't know what he'd be doing here as they never requested him. If you don't ask about AF or never mention him. Mission over and you don't get paid. I.E you failed but the mission is complete.
If you've pieced together that AF was behind everything(including the change in orders to kill HH) then there is an option to take revenge for GC by hunting AF. (Half reward for doing this)
Mission plays out where you corner AF at a place(I haven't decided where yet, I think I'll try and get him to skip town via train, if that's even possible) and either interrogate him and kill, just kill him, let him go, or fake his death(either because he helped you out in this mission which he nearly got you fired and killed in, or because you don't like GC).

Right this is what I have so far. I think it makes for a rather shadowrun-esque style mission with corruption, lies, deciet and murder where ever you look.

armadillo just read through and it's probably hard to understand. Ok will update when I can if you're as confused as I am when reading this.

[Jubal]

A couple of notes I'd make:

I'd like there to be some sort of payoff for not killing the tech team, a much smaller one than for killing them but maybe if you just let them go free they give you some minor bonus item or something? That way it gives the player a dilemma rather than "kill them or you're basically an idiot".

Also, I don't know how and if psych-ish powers will be included in the game but giving some thought to how those could be used creatively would be nice too.

[Clockwork]

Many thanks for reading it through. I did think about that but I want a game that punishes you for doing the nice thing as from all I've read, jumping in without thinking and basically doing good things gets you slayed. Although I was thinking about them giving you the edge you need to uncover AF before the end of the mission.

About the powers, I really need to see what the list of abilities is; but if there are any useful ones I'll be sure to incorporate them. Psychics would have a massive advantage here though, I might need an excuse to tone them down...Or I could make it more combat heavy and leave AF out until he updates mission objectives...Hmm.

Can't wait until I get my hands on the editor, got another scenario in the making too

[Jubal]

I think lower rewards for doing "the nice thing" are a good idea, but not making it wholly punitive; or perhaps at least acknowledging that you did a good act at some point later on, if you survive that long? I agree that it's good to not make the moral choice easy, but I think it's nice to give an acknowledgement of doing a more moral thing even if it was, at the time, the stupid thing to do from the POV of your own safety.

Or to put it another way: even if you don't give people practical benefits for being nice (which is a point I concede is well made), explicitly allow them to feel good about themselves for doing it. It's a nice way of screwing with people's sense of morality basically; "get a load of bonuses here, you just have to kill these otherwise pretty much innocent people, wouldn't that by such an easy thing to do?".

[Clockwork]

Excellent, I'll incorporate that into the dialogue. I think the hook of a great RPG is one where you want to make the moral choice just because you don't want your team(or character) being represented as a bunch of murderers and evil guys that care only about the result. Good guys will get payoffs eventually, for something...maybe but I would prefer to make them few and far between.

[Jubal]

Sounds good.